Three Earn CCHA Kudos

Wolfe, Hildebrand, and DeBlouw earn post-season honors

Greg Wolfe is MSU's Scholar-Athlete

March 14, 2013

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- -
Michigan State freshmen Jake Hildebrand (Butler, Pa.) and Matt DeBlouw (Chesterfield, Mich) and junior Greg Wolfe (Canton, Mich.) are Michigan State's honorees as the post-season awards have rolled out from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) this week. Hildebrand and Wolfe will represent Michigan State next Friday evening at the annual CCHA Awards Show at the Fox Theatre in Detroit.

Hildebrand and DeBlouw were honorable mention selections to the All-Rookie Team, and Hildebrand is one of three finalists for the CCHA Rookie of the Year. The goaltender made 25 starts this season, and owns a .929 save percentage, good for fourth in the CCHA and 15th nationally. He also boasts a 2.33 GAA, and ranks 22nd in the country in total saves, and earned his first career shutout on March 2 against Western Michigan (1-0).

Hildebrand joins Miami forward Riley Barber and Michigan defenseman Jacob Trouba as finalists for CCHA Rookie of the Year honors. Barber led all rookies in the nation in scoring with 15 goals and 36 points, was named the Gongshow Rookie of the Week four times and the Gongshow Rookie of the Month in twice. Hildebrand's save percentage ranked fifth in the country among rookie netminders and he was named theWarrior Goaltender of the Week once in the 2012-13 season. While anchoring the Michigan blue line, Trouba finished fourth in conference scoring among all rookies. His seven goals and 18 points topped all defensemen in the conference.

DeBlouw ranked eighth among CCHA freshmen in scoring, with a 7-11-18 scoring line. DeBlouw scored MSU's overtime game-winner last Friday against Alaska to give the Spartans not only a 1-0 lead in the CCHA first-round series, but also MSU's first overtime victory this season in four tries. DeBlouw also leads all CCHA freshmen in faceoff victories, with 349.

Wolfe is MSU's honoree as a CCHA Scholar-Athlete. Wolfe is a finance major, and in his first year of eligibility as a sophomore in 2011-12 earned not only Academic All-Big Ten honors, but was also selected as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar for maintaining a 3.75 GPA or better during the 2011-12 academic year. Just one representative is selected from each of the 11 CCHA institutions, and the Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR) will vote on a Scholar-Athlete of the Year, to be announced at the CCHA Awards Show at the Fox Theatre next Friday.

The Spartans are about to begin the CCHA Quarterfinal round at top-seeded Miami, the champion of the 2012-13 regular season. The best-of-three series begins Friday night at 7:35 p.m.